Envelope opening device



Aug. 27, 1946. KELSALL 2,406,610

ENVELOPE OPENING DEVICE Filed April 25, 1945 ZSheets-Sheet; 1

FIG. I

llllllllllllllllllllHh Inventor FEEDER/6K A. KELSALL v By j --Aug. 27; 1946. F. A. KELSALL- ENVELOPE OPENI NG DEVICE Filed April 23 1945 I 2 Sheets-sheaf 2 FIG. 4

F a x 7 Invento r' 9 FEEDER/GK}. KELSALL v s E H By MM 3M Patented Aug. 27, 1946 UNITED STATES FATENT OFFICE ENVELOPE OPENING DEVICE Frederick A. Kelsall, Boulder, Colo.

Application April 23, 1945, Serial No. 589,869

(Cl. 3l 131) 3 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in envelope opening devices, the primary object in view being to provide a device of simple, inexpensive construction for shearing one edge of an envelope quickly and evenly so that the contents may be quickly removed, and which functions to shear the edge off uniformly in predetermined degree,

store the cuttings in hidden condition for subseenvelope opening device, in itspreferred embodi ment, V

Figure 2 is a view in front elevation,

Figure 3 is a view inlongitudinal section taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1,

Figure 4 is a view in perspective with parts shown in section,

Figure 5 is a view in end elevation partly in section.

Figure 6 is a view in transverse section showing modification of the invention.

Referring to the drawings by numerals, my improved envelope opening device, as shown, com prises an elongated, rectangular casing -I of substantially the length of the usual letter envelope and which is provided with front, rear, bottom,

top and end walls designated 2, 3, I, 5 and 6, respectively. Preferably, the corners of the casing I are beveled, as at I, to obviate sharp edges. One end wall 5 is provided with a circular outlet opening 8 therein closed by a threaded disc-type closure 9 having a knurled edge Ill providing for a firm grip thereon. A longitudinal, central slot being secured to the front wall 2, as by screws I6,

with a spacing means between the blade and said wall. Preferably, the spacing means has the form of a spacing bar I? of the same type as said blade I l and which is secured in place by said screws I5. The shearing blade I4 may be provided with widened ends, as at I8, bearing against the bottom wall 4 to align the edge I5 with the bottom of the slot l I.

A vertically rocking shearing blade I9, similar to the blade I4, but having a right angled downturned end 2%, is pivoted to one end and rear side of said. blade I4 by a screw 2| passing through said end 29 into the blade I l, and whereby a lower shearing edge 22 on, said blade I9 is arranged to coact with the shearing edge I5 of the blade I4 when the blade I9 is rocked downwardly against the edge of the envelope I2 inserted between said blades. A relatively wider stop plate 23 extends along the back of the shearing blade I9 in overlapping relation to said shearing blade I l and which is secured to the shearing blade I9, as by screws 2:3. At the end of the shearing blade I9 opposite the pivotscrew 2|, the stop plate 23 is provided with an upper edge extension '25 projecting out of the casing I through a top slot 26 in the wall 5, said extension being provided with a right angled edge flange ZI overlying the top wall 5 and forming a pressure member for rocking the shearing blade I 9 and the stop plate 23 downwardly. A coil spring 28 interposed between the II is provided in the front wall 2 and end walls 6, said slot II opening into the casing I between the end walls 6 and being of the requisite width to accommodate therein one edge of the usual letter envelope. as shown in dotted lines at l2. Beveled guide ribs I3 are provided along the top and bottom. of said slot I I to facilitate entering the edge of the envelope l2 in said slot.

- A stationary, bar-like shearing blade III, of rectangular cross section, extends along the bottom of the slot I I. inside the casing l from end to end of the casing and with an upper flat shearing edge I 5 level with the bottom of the slot I I, said blade top wall 5 and said flange 21 and countersunk at its ends in said top wall and flange yieldingly holds the flange 2! elevated and consequently the shearing blade I9 and stop plate 23 in elevated normal position in which an edge of the envelope I2 may be inserted between said shearing blades I4 and I9.

The casing I and closure 9 may be formed of any light strong material, preferably a plastic. The shearing blades I4 and I9, together with the spacing bar I! and the stop plate 23, are preferably formed of metal.

The manner in which the described invention is used and operated will be readily understood. With the casing l grasped. for instance. in the left hand. the selected edge of the envelope I2 is inserted in. the slot I I against the stop plate 23 and the shearing blade I9 is then rocked downwardly by pressure exerted. for instance, by the thumb, on the flange 21. The shearing blade I9 is thus caused to cooperate with the shearing blade I4 to shear ofi said edge of the envelope I2, the cuttings falling between the shearing blade l4 and the stop plate 23 into the bottom of the casing.

The coil spring 28 opposes depression of the flang 2! and the described operation of the shearing blade I9 and stop plate 23 and, as shown in Figure 4, limits downward movement of these parts so that excessive operation of the shearing blade [9 is prevented. As will be clear, the spring 23 returns the operated parts to the described normal condition. The stop plate 23, it will be seen, provides a gauge for predetermining the width of the cutting which is sheared off the edge of the envelope I2. As shown in Figure 6, a spacing bar 29 similar to the shearing blade [9 may be interposed between said blade I9 and the stop plate 23, and the stop plate 23 may be set back further from the slot l to provide for a wider cutting being sheared from the envelope l2. It may be stated at this point that the slot 26 is wider than the extension 23 so as to provide for such setting back of the stop plate 23. Since the slot H extends from end to end of the casing I, as previously described, envelopes longer than the casing i may be slid into said slot from the appropriate end of the casing l and the edge of the envelopes sheared off progressively. Accumulated cuttings may be disposed of by unscrewing the closure 9 and removing said cuttings through the opening 8.

The foregoing will, it is believed, sufiice to impart a clear understanding of my invention without further explanation.

Manifestly, the invention, as described, is susceptible of modification without departing from the inventive concept, and right is herein reserved to such modifications as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In an envelope opening device, an elongated substantially rectangular casing adapted to form a closed storage receptacle for envelope cuttings and embodying a front side and a top, said side having a longitudinal slot therein for insertion of one edge of an envelope therethrough into said chamber, a shearing blade in said chamber fixed to said side and having an upper shearing edge extending along the bottom of said slot. a second shearing blade in said chamber pivoted at one end of the fixed blade for rocking movement from normal position into cooperative relation to the fixed blade to out said edge of the envelope with a shearing action, an edge extension on the other end of said pivoted blade extending through said top and provided with a lateral flange forming a presser member for rocking said pivoted blade, and a spring interposed between said top and said flange and thereby yieldingly retaining said pivoted blade in raised position.

2. In an envelope cutting device, an elongated substantially rectangular casing adapted to form a closed storage receptacle for envelope cuttings and embodying a front side and a top, said side having a longitudinal slot therein for insertion of one edge of an envelope therethrough into said chamber, a shearing blade in said chamber fixed to said side and having an upper shearing edge extending along the bottom of said slot, a second shearing blade in said chamber pivoted at one end to one end of the fixed blade for rocking movement from normal position into cooperative relation to the fixed blade to cut said edge of the envelope with a shearing action, an edge extension on the other end of said pivoted blade extending through said top and provided with a lateral flange forming a presser member for rocking said pivoted blade, a spring interposed between said top and said flange and thereby yieldingly retaining said pivoted blade in raised position, and a stop bar fixed on said pivoted blade to establish the position of said edge of the envelope relative to said blades.

3. In an envelope opening device, an elongated substantially rectangular casing adapted to form a closed storage receptacle for envelope cuttings and embodying a front side and a top, said side having a longitudinal slot therein for insertion of one edge ofan envelope therethrough into said chamber, a shearing blade in said chamber fixed to said side and having an upper shearing edge extending along the bottom of said slot, a second shearing blade in said chamber pivoted at one end to one end of the fixed blade for rocking movement from normal position into cooperative relation to the fixed blade to out said edge of the envelope with a shearing action, an edge extension on the other end of said pivoted blade extending through said top and provided with a lateral flange forming a presser member for rocking said pivoted blade, a spring interposed between said top and said flange and thereby yieldingly retaining said pivoted blade in raised position, a stop bar fixed on said pivoted blade to establish the position of said edge of the envelope relative to said blades, and spacing means between said fixed blade and said side of the casing for setting said blades back from said slot.

FREDERICK A. KELSALL. 

